Outerloop, an independent game development studio, gained attention a few years back with their game “Thirsty Suitors,” blending role-playing battles, cooking, and skating in a narrative about a young woman reconnecting with her family and dealing with a quirky group of former lovers.
Their latest release, “Dosa Divas,” stays true to its predecessor while enhancing the overall experience with a more confident approach. The game revolves around a story of family reconciliation set in a colorful and fantastical world, offering a realistic narrative despite its whimsical setting.
One notable drawback of “Dosa Divas” is its potential to leave players craving more content, particularly in terms of rhythm-based battles, cooking mechanics, and deeper character stories. It’s akin to a popular TV series that starts strong but could benefit from more episodes to fully explore its components.
The central plot of “Dosa Divas” follows sisters Samara and Amani, who once managed a family restaurant. Amani returns after a ten-year absence, aiming to reconnect with Samara and their family. In contrast, their youngest sister, Lina, has established a lucrative business selling a food substitute called Lina Meals, leading a push to eliminate traditional cooking.
The game delves into the sisters’ intricate history, involving their retired parents and former restaurant colleagues, unraveling a tale of conflicting values between culinary traditions, human connections, and corporate greed. Additionally, a subplot featuring Goddess, a robot-food truck hybrid accompanying the sisters, introduces further depth through encounters with other sentient robots known as DIVAs.
“Dosa Divas” gameplay centers on three main aspects: exploration during the sisters’ journey, turn-based battles against various adversaries, and cooking dishes to satisfy hungry patrons. Players engage in strategic battles reminiscent of classic RPGs, with timing-based mechanics adding a layer of skill and strategy to combat encounters.
Throughout the game, players collect ingredients to prepare dishes tailored to customers’ preferences, engaging in mini-games to complete cooking tasks. While the cooking segments may feel slightly less polished than the combat mechanics, they contribute to a satisfying gameplay loop of exploration, cooking, and battling enemies to progress the story.
The game’s narrative depth reflects Outerloop’s modest team size and constraints, occasionally leaving certain storylines underdeveloped. Despite this, “Dosa Divas” addresses thought-provoking themes such as class disparities and family dynamics, offering a candid and heartfelt portrayal of reconciliation amid fantastical elements.
“Dosa Divas” may not match the complexity of high-budget RPGs, but its narrative richness and emotional depth set it apart. While some aspects could benefit from further refinement, the game’s sensitive approach to storytelling leaves players eager to see what Outerloop has in store for the future.
“Dosa Divas” is currently available for PC and major gaming consoles.